ACTIVE LIVING BY DESIGN

Active Living by Design is a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® designed to establish and evaluate innovative approaches that support active living. Active Living by Design is based at the UNC School of Public Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The purpose of Active Living by Design is to promote changes in local community design, transportation and architecture that make it easy for people to be physically active.

"Active living" is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. The goal is to accumulate at least 30 minutes of activity each day. Individuals may do this in a variety of ways, such as walking or bicycling for transportation, exercise or pleasure; playing in the park; working in the yard; taking the stairs; and using recreation facilities.

Since farmers' markets provide a unique opportunity in the community to provide a local market where people can often walk to the market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, this would be a great opportunity for a farmers market or farmers market group to partner with other community groups to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits.

Active Living by Design will award grants to 25 interdisciplinary, community-oriented partnerships to develop and implement strategies in their communities that will increase opportunities for and remove barriers to routine physical activity.

Proposed projects should address each of four strategies:

1. Create and maintain an interdisciplinary partnership;
2. Increase access to and availability of diverse opportunities for active living;
3. Eliminate design and policy barriers that reduce choices for active living; and
4. Develop communications programs that create awareness and understanding of the benefits of active living.

Funding
Active Living by Design will provide grants of up to $200,000 total over five years to each community partnership. In addition, selected grantees will be eligible to apply for a Special Opportunities Fund award that can be used to provide support for related projects identified by the community.

Next Round of Funding
The last Call for Proposals was released in November 2002, calling for brief proposals by January 31, 2003 and full proposals due by May 23, 2003.

Active Living by Design does not release information on past applicants but to find out more information on this program and find out more on how to apply for a grant go to: http://www.activelivingbydesign.org.